Finance Business Partner

On behalf of HS2 , we are looking for a Finance Business Partner (Inside IR35) for a contract Until 31/03/2027 based in Birmingham with office attendance 3 times per week .

HS2 is Britain’s new high-speed railway that supports the government’s number one mission growth. When it’s fully operational, the line will connect London and Birmingham in just 49 minutes. This will create better journeys for passengers. The railway links our two biggest economic centres, connects people with jobs and is attracting major investment before services begin. It then extends north of Birmingham to Handsacre in Staffordshire. Here, HS2 trains will connect to the West Coast Main Line for the Northwest and Scotland.

HS2 provides benefits for everyone faster, more reliable journeys for passengers; better connections to markets and people for businesses; and investment in infrastructure and skills for local communities.

We are seeking a commercially focused and qualified Finance Business Partner to provide financial leadership , challenge , and assurance across a portfolio of directorates and programmes.

The role will support strategic decision -making by delivering robust financial analysis , forecasting, governance, and performance management while ensuring effective cost control and value-for-money outcomes.

Working closely with senior stakeholders, budget holders, programme teams, commercial functions, and external partners, the Finance Business Partner will drive financial accountability, challenge assumptions, and provide insight into business performance, funding requirements, and financial risks.

As a Finance Business Partner , your main responsibilities will be:

- Act as a trusted Finance Business Partner, providing challenge , assurance, and insight to support effective decision -making across assigned directorates and programmes.
- Drive financial accountability and cost control , ensuring stakeholders understand financial performance, risks, opportunities, and funding implications.
- Represent Finance at governance and review meetings, acting on behalf of senior finance leadership where required.
- Review and provide financial endorsement of investment papers, business cases, and change requests, ensuring risks, opportunities, programme impacts, and associated costs are fully understood and accurately recorded.
- Perform detailed analysis of contract spend, accruals, and financial performance, providing challenge and insight to budget holders and operational teams.
- Provide assurance to senior management that reported expenditure, commitments, and contract payments are appropriate, accurate, and compliant with governance requirements.
- Support the development and implementation of financial policies, reporting standards, and planning processes.
- Produce meaningful variance analysis and financial commentary to support Executive and Programme Board reporting.
- Review and assure management information and governance packs prior to submission to senior stakeholders.
- Review, challenge , and validate forecasts, ensuring alignment with approved funding, business plans, and programme delivery objectives .
- Advise stakeholders on the appropriate IFRS accounting treatment of transactions, including accruals, prepayments, and liabilities.
- Prepare supporting evidence and documentation for internal and external audit requirements, including engagement with auditors where required.
- Lead and oversee month-end financial reporting activities, ensuring the timely and accurate close of accounts.
- Provide assurance over the quality, integrity, and reliability of financial and commercial data used in planning and forecasting activities.
- Support budget management processes, including budget allocation, delegations, reporting structures, and system changes where required.
- Provide workforce cost analysis and forecasting to support programme cost estimates and resource planning activities.
- Challenge workforce assumptions and support managers in optimising resource utilisation and achieving efficiency targets.
- Build effective relationships with Executive Directors, senior stakeholders, programme teams, commercial functions, and external partners.
- Advise stakeholders on the appropriate IFRS accounting treatment of transactions, including accruals, prepayments, and liabilities
- Support year-end financial reporting and audit processes.
- Monitor performance against Spending Review funding allocations and identify emerging risks, opportunities, and corrective actions.
- Work closely with commercial teams, programme controls , and supply-chain finance leads to improve cost forecasting, actual cost reporting, and cashflow accuracy.
- Develop and maintain cashflow forecasts and reporting for senior stakeholders, ensuring robust challenge of underlying assumptions.
- Support the annual business planning process and periodic reforecasts, providing guidance on planning assumptions, financial targets, and organisational priorities.
- Communicate complex financial information clearly and effectively to both finance and non-finance audiences.
- Promote continuous improvement in financial management , reporting, forecasting, and governance processes.
- Champion Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI), ensuring organisational values and behaviours are embedded in all aspects of work.

Essential:

- Fully qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA, CIPFA or equivalent).
- Proven Finance Business Partnering experience within a complex organisation.
- Experience supporting senior stakeholders with budgeting, forecasting, financial planning, and performance management .
- Strong financial reporting, analysis , and business partnering skills.
- Experience providing financial challenge , governance, and assurance to support decision -making.
- Excellent stakeholder management and influencing skills, with the ability to engage at senior leadership level.
- Strong understanding of financial and management accounting principles , including IFRS.
- Advanced Excel, financial modelling, and ERP system experience.
- Strong commercial acumen with the ability to analyse financial risks, opportunities, and forecasts.
- Excellent communication skills with the ability to present complex financial information to non-finance

Desirable:

- Experience within large-scale infrastructure, capital projects, public sector, or regulated environments.
- Knowledge of government funding frameworks and public sector finance.
- Understanding of financial governance, controls , and assurance frameworks.
- Evidence of continuous professional development.
- Ability to drive process improvements and support organisational change initiative

Please be aware that this role can only be worked within the UK and not Overseas.

In applying for this role, you acknowledge the following "this role falls in scope of the Off Payroll Working in the Public Sector legislation. Any rates of payment quoted will reflect the gross rate per day for the assignment and will be subject to appropriate taxes and statutory costs. As such the payment to the intermediary and your income resulting from this contract will be different".